The Greatest Chapter in the Bible Adapted from Why I Love the
Apostle Paul by John Piper By John Piper The greatest chapter in
the Bible is Romans 8. Why? Because Romans 8 spells out all that
God is for us in his Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:32 says, "He who
did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he
not also with him graciously give us all things?" What are the
great obstacles between us and everlasting happiness? One obstacle
is our sin. We are all sinners (Rom. 3:23), and the wages of that
sin is eternal death (Rom. 6:23). Another obstacle is the wrath of
God. If God is justly wrathful toward us in our sinful guilt, then
we have no hope of everlasting happiness. When Paul calls Jesus
God's own Son, the point is that there are no others like him, and
he is infinitely precious to the Father. The point of Romans 8:32
is that this love of God for his one and only Son was like a
massive, Mount Everest obstacle standing between God and our
salvation. Here was an obstacle almost insurmountable. Could
God--would God--overcome his cherishing, admiring, treasuring,
white-hot, infinite, affectionate bond with his Son and hand him
over to be lied about and betrayed and denied and abandoned and
mocked and flogged and beaten and spit on and nailed to a cross and
pierced with a sword, like an animal being butchered and hung up on
a rack? The unthinkable reality that Romans 8:32 affirms is that
God did it. He did hand him over. God did not spare him. In this
passage Paul is saying the most unthinkable thing: God handed over
his Son to death. "This Jesus [was] delivered up according to the
definite plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). God himself
handed over his Son. Nothing greater or harder has ever happened.
Or ever will. Therefore, God has done the hardest thing to give us
everlasting happiness. He did not spare his own Son but gave him up
for us all. What does this guarantee? Paul puts it in the form of a
rhetorical question (that means a question he expects us to
immediately answer correctly): "how will he not also with him
graciously give us all things?" "All things" is not a promise of a
trouble-free life. Four verses later Paul says, "For your sake we
are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be
slaughtered." (Rom. 8:36) Instead, "all things" means all things we
need to be eternally happy in God. Since God did not spare his own
Son, all things will work together for our good (8:28), we will be
glorified (8:30), and nothing, not even persecution or famine or
danger or death, can separate us from the love of God in Christ
(8:35-39). Paul said, "All the promises of God find their Yes in
[Jesus]" (2 Cor. 1:20). That is because the Father did not spare
his Son. He did it so that all things--all these promises--would be
absolutely certain for those who trust him. I have fought all the
battles of my life with the promises of God--battles against fear
and lust and greed and pride and anger. Battles for courage and
purity and contentment and humility and peace and love. All of them
by the word of God--the promises of God. Behind every one of those
battles is the logic of heaven: "I did not spare my own Son;
therefore, my promise to you cannot fail. I will help you. Go. Do
what I have called you to do." This promise isn't just for me. It's
for anyone who reads it and receives, by faith, Jesus Christ as
their Savior, their treasure, their hope, and their joy. If you
want to receive Jesus Christ as your treasure today, thank God
right now that you have this desire. It is a wonderful gift. Then
call out to him in prayer and tell him what is in your heart.
Perhaps with these words: O God, I believe that Jesus Christ is
your Son, and that you have opened the eyes of my heart to see the
truth of Christ and my great need for him. I see that I am a sinner
and need forgiveness. I see that Christ died for sinners and rose
again. I see the wonderful promise that all who believe in Christ
receive this forgiveness and eternal life. So I do believe, and I
appeal to your mercy to save me from my sin, and welcome me, as you
promised, into eternal life with you. Put your Spirit within me, I
pray, and give me all the help I need to follow Jesus as Lord, and
obey his teachings. Please lead me to a Bible-believing church
where I can grow in faith and with others who love Jesus. Amen.
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